House Republicans are having fun with their colleague, Rep. J. Paul Brown, on his bear bill.

Few bills have drummed up as many e-mails, phone calls and practical jokes as Rep. J. Paul Brown’s proposal to overturn a 19-year ban on the spring bear hunt.

Animal-rights activists have railed against House Bill 1294[2] by Brown, an Ignacio Republican. The bill would allow the Division of Wildlife to allow the hunting of bears whenever necessary. The bill has passed committee [3]and is waiting to be debated by the entire House.

In the meantime, Brown’s fellow Republicans, including Rep. Ken Summers, R-Lakewood, couldn’t resist playing a practical joke on him, circulating a popular Internet photo of a bear at a picnic table.

Asked if he had seen it yet, Brown laughed. “Heck yea,” he said. “That was funny.”

Brown, by the way, spent his lunch hour with some of same activists who despise his bill for the kickoff of the new Colorado Legislative Animal Welfare Caucus or CLAW.

Fifteen lawmakers attended the luncheon, along with others involved in animal causes.

“Our goal is to get people who are interested in animal issues to work together,” said Rep. Beth McCann, D-Denver.